Actuating mechanism for an adjustable slat awning



May 7, 1957 H. L. JOHNSON ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR AN ADJUSTABLE SLAT AWNING Filed Jan. 30, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l ttw i alalal INVENTOR.

ffczrola Z. ifo/zrzsorz/ BY mz/ May 7, 1957 H. 1.. JOHNSON ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR AN ADJUSTABLE SLAT AWNING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30, 1953 INVENTOR.

3/ ficzwold Z. rfo/b/zson/ United States Patent ACTUATIN G MECHANISM FOR AN ADJUSTABLE SLAT AWNING Harold L. Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 30, 1953, Serial No. 334,291

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-575) This invention relates to certain improvements in awnings of wood construction and wherein a plurality of slats are pivotally mounted upon a supporting framework for concerted angular adjustment with respect thereto to regulate the entry of light at a window and for other analogous purposes. These improvements relate to an awning substantially of the construction shown and described in my prior patent, No. 2,404178, issued July 16, 1946.

More specifically, the present invention relates to an actuating mechanism that is employed for regulating the angular tilt of a plurality of pivoted slats that are sup ported upon an open framework, this actuating mechanism providing the sole means for operating all of the slats in unison between a selected closed position and varying open positions of the slats.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a bracket arrangement which is easily attachable to the individual slats of an adjustable blind awning of the kind described and wherein these slats may be secured to such awning to provide a rigid tilting struc ture for rotating the slats upon longitudinal axes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bracket arrangement which is connectible with the slats at any one position within one of the notches formed on the supported edge of the slat.

In the construction herein disclosed and as more fully explained and described in the patented awning hereinbefore referred to, each of the slats are provided with notches along one edge thereof to receive supporting arms through such notches at the pivotal portions of the slat so as to hold such slats against endwise movement and to retain the pivotal coacting structure between the slats and supporting arms in their cooperative assembled positions. At each of the points of support, a pivotal Wire is used to span each slot or notch in the slat and this pivotal wire is adapted to seat in the bottom angular saw cuts that are formed in the upper surface or edge of the supporting arms. The brackets of the present invention which connect the slat with an actuating bar encompass certain constructional features which will specifically position the brackets in a given plane with respect to the slat and which will also anchor the bracket upon the slat with or without the use of fastening devices.

It is another object of the present invention to provide the brackets of the actuating mechanism with means having coaction with the pivotal wires or fulcrum members of the slats whereby such wires will further help to lock and retain the bracket structures in predetermined positions with respect to each slat proper.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an actuating bar that is movable between predetermined limits to pivotally raise or tilt all of the slats from a given closed position to a maximrun open position. This arrangement also incorporates the feature of having the actuating bar contact the supporting arm in at least one position whereby such coaction between the bar 'and 23,791,008 Patented May 7, 19 57 "ice 1 invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a general perspective view of a rockable slat type awning incorporating the newly designed actuating mechanism of the present invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view taken through the awning and as seen substantially along the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary view of an intermediate portion of the awning as shown in Fig. 2 but illustrated on a much larger scale to emphasize the details of con struction thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 in Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows and with the adjacent slat shown as it would appear in the open dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is another cross sectional view showing the relationship between the slats and supporting arm structure and as viewed substantially along the line 5'5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the slats at the slot portion thereof illustrating one of the dual brackets in place and connected with its half of the slot or notch in this slat;

Fig. 7 is another detail cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified variation of the bracket arrangement as used in this awning.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the awning incorporating the present invention comprises a plurality of slats 1 that are carried crosswise or transversely upon two or more supporting arms 2. Each of the arms 2 are slidably carried upon rods 3 and 4 with the rod 3 supported above the window opening 5 by means of several hooks such as 6. The lower rod 4 is held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by means of the braces 7 which are also slidably carried upon the rod 4 and each of the braces is conveniently carried at the window end by means of l L-hooks 8. This arrangement furnishes the angular position of the arms 2 with respect to a window opening; In addition, the outer terminal edge of the awning may be provided with a decorative board such as 9 which provides a feature trim adjacent the outer or last slat of the structure.

Each of the slats 1 is provided with two or more notches such as 10 along the rearward edge 11 thereof. In the awning shown in Fig. 1, three supporting arms 2 are employed in view of the large width of the window 12. For awnings of lesser width as determined by smaller windows only two such arms are normally required. The number of braces such as 7 may also be varied to meet the conditions of use.

The pivotal means provided for rockably supporting the slats 1 to tilt according to manual regulation comprises a wire such as 13 which is best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 7, and this wire is part of a staple with the ends 14 and 15 thereof passing through the slat 1 to hold the staple in place. The pivotal wire portion 13 of the staple spans the notch 10 and is capable of nesting within the angular saw cut or slot such as 16 that is cut into the upper surface portions of the arms 2. The weight of the individual slats hold each of the pivotal wires 13 at the bottom of the slots 16 and it should also be noted that the end wall,17 ofslot 10 is angled as shown in Fig. 5

3 whereby the corner portions such as18 and 19 of the bottom surface of the notch can also be used to determine the maximum closed and open positions of the slats 1. p

The actuating mechanism of the present invention comprises two left and right hand brackets 20 and 21 which have tapered channels defined by the upper and lower legs 22 and 23 respectively connected by the vertical wall portion 24. The tapered channel is constructed and ar ranged to match the taper of the top and bottom surfaces 25 and 26 of the slat 1 so that each bracket 2::- and it may be inserted upwardly through the slot 10 and then laterally moved into position over the adjacent edge of the slat 1 so that for example the right hand bracket shown in Fig. 6 will be positioned in the fashionthere illustrated. The other left hand bracket may be similarly assembled with the slat by also bringing the channel end thereof upwardly into the slot 10 and then by moving the same laterally or in the longitudinal direction of the slat to engage over the body portion 27 shown in Fig. 6. This brings both brackets into the assembled form best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7 and by reason of the channel formed between the upper legs 22 and 23 of the brackets and the tapered arrangement thereof, such brackets will be prevented from pulling oif of the end of the slat edge and in a transverse direction away from the rear portion thereof.

In addition, each of the lower legs 23 of the brackets 20 and 21 are slotted intermediate their length as at 28 to provide a clearance space or opening for the pivotal wire 13 when the latter is secured to the slat in position to span the slot or notch 10. It should also be noted that the wire 13 will provide a means for further preventing endwise movement of the bracket units out of the slot 10 so that the pivotal wire also serves to lock each of these members in place.

Each of the brackets 20 and 21 is also provided with an angularly disposed depending lever or arms such as 29 and 30 which are maintained substantially parallel to the opposite outward sides of the slot 10 and as determined by the contiguous walls 24 of the bracket units. In this fashion, with complete seating of the channel portion of each of the brackets with the wall 24 thereof engaging the side surface of the slot 10 it will be understood that the levers 29 and 30 will be maintained in a given operating plane in relation to the slat 1 with the stability of such levers being insured by the self securing action of the brackets Ztland 21.

Referring again to Figs. 4 and 7, it should be noted that the spacing of the levers 29 and 30, which are contiguous with the walls 24 of each of the brackets, is such as to straddle one of the supporting arm 2 at either side thereof. Thus the supporting arm 2 prevents inward movement of either of the brackets into the slot or notch 10 in the longitudinal direction of the slat;

An actuating bar 31 such as best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 connects withall of the ends of the pairs of levers of the individual bracket sets 20 and 21. This bar 31 is provided with a plurality of openings such as 32 which are provided for alignment with openings such as 33 formed in the extended ends of the levers 2 9 and 30. Any suitable means such as a cotter pin 34 may then be used to make the necessary connection between theactuating bar 31 and the individual levers 29 and 30 of each set of brackets for each slat 1.

A pull cord 35 is suitably connected with the actuating bar 31 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by securing the end of the cord through an opening such as 36' in the bar. The pull cord may be operated from within the window and the end of the cord may be secured to fastening means such as 37 to hold the bar 31 in a given position whereby each of the slats 1 will be rocked or tilted ina selected vertical relation with respect to the open framework comprising the supporting arms 2 and the rods 5 and 4. it shouldalsg be noted that the angular relationship between the channel portion of the brackets and the levers thereof is such that when the pull cord 35 is released the bar 31 will move upwardly and rcarwardly until the top surface 38 of the bar will strike the bottom surface 39 of the supporting arm 2 thereby stopping all of the slats in a given pivotal closed position as best illustrated in Fig. 3. Also, as previously stated, the bottom edgs of rear wall 17 of slot 10 may form a stop as shown in Fig. 5. it is preferable to design the actuating mechanism in such a fashion that the bar 31 will be the primary stopping element for determining the lowermost and closed position of all of the slats 1. It is understandable that both the bar and the edge 18 may be used simultaneously in attaining this closed stopped position of the slats of the awning structure.

In drawing the pull cord 35 downwardly the slats may be moved into a maximum open position as illustrated in Fig. 3 in broken lines at which time, the edges 1.9 of each of the slots 10 in the slats will strike the upper surface or edge portion 49 of the supporting arm 2. This prcvents too great a movement of the slats into the vertical direction so that the concerted weights of the slats will still act downwardly to urge the actuating bar in a dircction where it will move upwardly and rcarwardly beneath one of the awning arms such as 2 to let the awning slats drop automatically upon release of the pull cord.

The actuating mechanism of the present invention may be associated with any one of the supporting arms 2 and in the awning illustrated in Fig. 1, it is desirable, where three supporting arms such as 2 are used, to place the actuating mechanism in association with the middle arm so that the weights of the extended slats to either side of the middle arm will be equalized to carrying the load with respect to the bracket. This, however, is not a limitation inasmuch as the brackets may be associated with any row of aligned slots as determined by the number of slats and arms employed to provide a completed awning.

Fig. 8 illustrates a deviation from the original concept of the actuating mechanism wherein the brackets are shown at 41 and 42 having the same configuration as the original brackets illustrated in the previous form and employing the same levers such as 43 and 44 for connection with an actuating bar. The chief difference in the Fig. 8 construction resides in the use of a pair of holes or openings such as 45 and 46 that are formed in the lower channel legs 47 and 48 of the associated cooperative brackets and wherein the holes 45 and 46 are made to receive the ends of a staple or wire having the pivotal run 49 traversing the open slot 50 and with the end portions 51 and 52 of the staple passing through the openings 45 and 46 and into the wood of the slat 1. The balance of this construction is identical with the construction previously described.

Thus with the present actuating mechanism it is possible, to assemble a pair of left and right hand brackets by placement into the area of a slot in a slat and moving the channel sections oppositely outwardly upon the tapered end portions of that slat to obtain this desirable assembly. The taper of the channels in each of the brackets fits the taper of the slat with the wider ends of the channel being disposed toward the outer end of the slat. Furthermore, by properly spacing the two lateral walls of each of the slots 10 when considered in the longitudinal direction of the slat it is possible to receive the supporting arm of the awning framework within the slot 10 and in a position to prevent retraction inwardly of either of the brackets toward the central area of the slot 10.

This structure is also enhanced by the cooperative use of the pivotal wire in the construction of the pivotal slats with this wire acting to further anchor each of the brackets in a given position upon th slat as shown in both of the forms illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 respectively.

Attention is also directed to the construction of the bracket at the slot bottoming end thereof. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the slot is undercut at 17. The terminal end of the wall 24 is beveled as at 24a to engage the overlying wall portion 17 of the slot end. By this construction excessive torque action created by bar 31 on the ends of the bracket lever arms 29 and 30 is counteracted at the slot end of the bracket to prevent distortion and possible displacement of the bracket channel parts that embrace the adjacent slat portions at the slot 10.

Although the foregoing description has been directed to a preferred and modified construction of the present invention, other changes in the exact design and combination of elements noted are also contemplated. Any such modifications, however, shall be governed by the breadth and scope of the appended claims directed to this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an adjustable blind awning, a slat having notches along one edge thereof each to receive a portion of transversely arranged supporting arms therethrough respectively, and an actuating unit connected with said slat at said notch to tilt the slat relatively to said arm, said actuating unit comprising brackets each having channel sections to embrace the portions of the slat disposed to either side of said notch, said channel sections each comprising top and bottom legs embracing the slat surfaces, an intermediate leg connecting wall arranged for surface engagement with one of the side walls of said notch, an operating lever arm extending from said bracket and in the general plane of said leg connecting wall, actuating means connected with said lever arm to tilt said slat by urging said arm in one direction, said brackets each having a beveled end portion on said leg connecting wall, and said slat notch having an undercut end to abuttingly overlie said beveled end portion on said leg connecting wall whereby to counteract distortion and possible rotation of said channel section at said slat notch under the torque stresses induced by said actuating means upon said lever arm.

2. In an adjustable blind awing, a slot having notches along one edge thereof each to receive a portion of transversely arranged supporting arms therethrough respec tively, and an actuating unit connected with said slat at said notch to tilt the slat relatively to said arm, said actuating unit comprising brackets each having channel sections to embrace the portions of the slat disposed to either side of said notch, and lever arms extending from said channel sections, said channel sections being laterally spaced apart in said notch at a distance to provide clearance for said supporting arm in said notch whereby said arm provides abutment means to prevent the channel sections from working laterally into said notch and ofi of the adjacently embraced slat portions, said slat being tapered transversely with the greatest thickness at the notched edge thereof, and said bracket channel sections each being correspondingly tapered divergingly inwardly with respect to the slat edge to counteract transverse shifting of said brackets toward the notched edge of said slat, and said channel sections of said brackets being of a width in the longitudinal direction of said slat that is less than the width of the slat notch to allow edgewise engagement of the slat by said brackets and from within the notch area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,981 Vail Feb. 9, 1926 2,239,242. Miller Apr. 22, 1941 2,324,454 Huff July 13, 1943 2,404,178 Johnson July 16, 1946 

